Pull-out Medium Support Structure for Compact Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium supporting structures in recording devices face challenges in reducing thickness while maintaining mechanical strength, leading to potential decreases in mechanical strength and increased risk of mechanical failure.
Innovation Solution
A medium supporting structure comprising a first member supported by the recording device and a second member with a support surface that is coupled to the first member and movable in the transport direction, featuring a frame body and ribs that form the support surface, allowing for a reduction in thickness while maintaining mechanical strength through the interaction between the frame body and ribs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the thickness of the member is reduced to reduce the thickness of the medium supporting structure, then the thickness of the recording device is reduced, but the mechanical strength of the member and the whole medium supporting structure excessively decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The medium supporting structure is divided into multiple members (first member and second member) that can be pulled out independently. Each member has a support surface with ribs that segment the load-bearing function, allowing thinner individual members while maintaining overall structural strength through distributed support.
Solution Approach 2:
The support surface incorporates ribs that extend in the thickness direction, adding a third dimension to the support structure. This ribbed configuration provides mechanical reinforcement without increasing the planar footprint, enabling thinner members while maintaining strength through vertical structural elements.
2Length of stationary object
If the thickness of the member is reduced to reduce the thickness of the medium supporting structure, then the recording device becomes more compact, but the reliability of the medium supporting structure decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The second member is configured to be housed within the first member when not in use. This nested arrangement allows both members to occupy the same space, enabling compact thickness while maintaining the reliability of the support structure through the combined strength of multiple members that can be deployed as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The members are designed to be movable and pullable out independently, transitioning from a compact nested state to an extended support state. This dynamic configuration allows the structure to adapt between space-saving mode and full support mode, maintaining reliability when needed while achieving compactness during storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A feeding tray includes a first member supported, via a housing member, by a main body of a recording device configured to perform recording onto a medium, and a second member that includes a second support surface configured to support the medium and is coupled to the first member to be movable relatively to the first member, with a transport direction of the medium being a movement direction. The second member includes a second frame body forming an outer peripheral portion of the second member, and a plurality of second ribs spanning across the second frame body to form the second support surface.